The door was left slightly ajar, warm yellow lamplight spilling out from inside.
Kiyohara gently pushed the door open.
Nohara Rin was curled up under the blanket, her back facing the door.
The blanket was pulled up very high, leaving only a small damp section of hair visible.
Her shoulders were slightly tense. Her breathing had been deliberately steadied, but her eyelashes were trembling.
Kiyohara walked to the bedside.
"Rin."
Rin didn't move.
Kiyohara lifted one corner of the blanket and slipped in.
The single bed was narrow. With two people lying together, their bodies were almost pressed against each other.
He reached out and gently wrapped an arm around her waist.
Rin's waist was very slender, almost small enough to hold in one hand.
"K-Kiyohara-kun…"
Rin's voice trembled.
Kiyohara tightened his arm slightly.
He could feel how smooth and delicate her skin was.
"Rin, is this okay?"
Kiyohara asked beside her ear, his warm breath brushing against it.
Rin's ears instantly flushed red.
"Mm…"
Rin answered softly.
Her heart couldn't help stirring as well.
Kiyohara moved his hand away from her waist and placed it on her shoulder, gently turning her around.
Rin faced him.
The lamplight shone from the side, illuminating her face.
Her face was flushed, and she kept pressing her lips together.
Kiyohara reached out and lightly lifted her chin with his fingertips.
Rin was forced to raise her face and meet his eyes.
"Rin."
Kiyohara lowered his head.
Rin's eyelashes trembled, and then she slowly closed her eyes.
After some time, Kiyohara finally let her go.
Rin gasped for breath, her chest rising and falling sharply.
Her lips glistened with moisture.
Fine beads of sweat had appeared on her forehead, and a few loose strands of hair clung to her cheeks.
A moment later, a kind of charm gradually appeared on her face.
It was the allure unique to a woman.
Rin's fair skin was tinged pink, and her body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
"How is your training in the Youth-Preserving Technique going?"
Kiyohara suddenly asked.
Rin froze for a moment, then nodded.
"I've… completed it."
"Then I'll teach you senjutsu next."
Kiyohara's hand rested below her collarbone, his fingertips lightly pressing against the shallow hollow there.
"But first, we need to build your foundation."
Before Rin could react, she felt a warm current of chakra flowing out from his palm and seeping into her chest.
That chakra was completely different from ordinary chakra. It was much gentler.
It flowed through her chakra pathways, and wherever it passed, the activity of her cells increased.
Rin's brows furrowed slightly.
She could feel that power slowly condensing inside her.
This was Kiyohara's understanding of the cursed seal: a method of lodging senjutsu chakra inside another person.
By doing this, he could accelerate someone else's understanding of senjutsu.
In Kiyohara's view, Rin would have an easier time learning senjutsu than Kurenai.
After all, Rin had the massive chakra reserves of the Three-Tails inside her. That alone already satisfied the most important condition for training in senjutsu.
"In this state, your spiritual energy and physical energy are at their most active. It's very suitable for sensing senjutsu chakra."
Kiyohara said.
When spiritual and physical energy were at their most active, natural energy could be integrated more smoothly.
These were insights Kiyohara had gained from years of practicing senjutsu, though this was his first real experiment using this specific method.
Through this approach, the talent requirement for the person involved would be lowered greatly.
Of course, even if others wanted to imitate it, they couldn't.
Kiyohara's chakra control had already surpassed Tsunade's.
If an outsider tried to copy this method, the subject would probably either turn to stone on the spot or suffer backlash from being unable to endure the cursed seal.
"Mm… I can definitely feel an extra chakra inside me."
Rin nodded.
So this was the power Kiyohara had always been using before.
However, Rin felt that this power was extremely difficult to control.
Because right now, she couldn't focus properly on anything else.
After an unknown amount of time, Rin's hair was scattered across the pillow, a few damp strands stuck to her cheeks with sweat.
Her ten toes curled and relaxed from time to time, faint blue veins slightly visible along the arches of her feet.
…
A night passed.
Kiyohara opened his eyes.
When he turned his head, Rin was still lying beside him.
Kiyohara reached out and gently pinched her cheek.
Rin didn't wake up. She only wrinkled her nose, buried her face into Kiyohara's chest, and mumbled something unclear.
Kiyohara looked at her, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.
Perhaps because she had more chakra, even as a complete beginner, her performance had been much better than Kurenai's.
Kiyohara pulled his arm free and tucked the blanket around her.
Rin stirred, her brows knitting slightly before gradually relaxing again.
Kiyohara got up, went to the kitchen, and quickly prepared breakfast.
Then he walked to the bedroom doorway.
Rin was still asleep, one corner of the blanket kicked aside by her.
The corners of her lips were faintly raised, as if she were having a good dream.
Kiyohara picked up the pen on the bedside table and wrote a few lines on a note.
"Breakfast is in the kitchen. Remember to eat."
He placed the note under the desk lamp to hold it down, took one last look at her, then turned and left.
...
The Uchiha district.
When Kiyohara passed through the gate dividing the Uchiha compound from Konoha's main streets, the two Uchiha ninja guarding it bowed at the same time.
"Hokage-sama."
Kiyohara nodded slightly and stepped into the compound.
After the war ended, the Uchiha district had become much livelier than it had been a few months ago.
The shops on both sides of the street had reopened, and children chased each other at the mouth of the alleyways.
Aside from the ninja, most members of the Uchiha clan were actually ordinary people.
They ran businesses and lived normal lives in Konoha.
When Kiyohara entered, he noticed quite a few Uchiha looking at him.
He wasn't surprised.
In outsiders' eyes, he was an Uchiha.
And he was the first Uchiha to become Hokage—something even Uchiha Madara had failed to accomplish back then.
A child playing by the roadside stopped and looked up at him.
"Are you the Hokage?"
The child looked about five or six, with black hair and black eyes, and mud smeared on his cheek.
Kiyohara stopped and looked down at him.
"Yes."
Kiyohara nodded.
Ninety-nine percent of the Uchiha clan had black hair and black eyes. Only a very small number had hair of other colors.
As for Mangekyō Kiyohara's white hair, Kiyohara guessed it had been caused by his half-Ōtsutsuki bloodline.
Pure-blooded Ōtsutsuki generally had white or bluish-white hair.
Only the Sage of Six Paths had brown hair.
When the child heard Kiyohara's reply, his eyes lit up.
"When I grow up, I'm going to become Hokage too!"
Kiyohara smiled.
"Then you'll need to train hard."
The child nodded vigorously, then turned and ran off, shouting as he went:
"Mom! I met the Hokage!"
Kiyohara straightened and continued forward.
After turning a corner, he arrived at Uchiha Fugaku's house.
Several people were already standing outside the entrance.
Uchiha Tekka was the first to come forward.
"Hokage-sama!"
He was wearing a high-collared Uchiha robe.
"Fugaku-sama is waiting for you inside."
Kiyohara nodded and followed him into the courtyard.
There were already many Uchiha ninja inside. When they saw him enter, they greeted him in unison.
"Hokage-sama."
Kiyohara nodded slightly and walked past them.
Uchiha Fugaku stood at the entryway. On that face, usually so stern, there was now a rare smile.
"Kiyohara-kun."
He bowed slightly.
"Welcome."
Kiyohara returned the courtesy.
"You're too polite, Fugaku."
Fugaku stepped aside.
"Please come in."
Kiyohara entered the house.
Uchiha Mikoto was kneeling beside a low table, her long hair pinned up behind her head, revealing a fair section of her nape.
Her head was lowered as she arranged the tea set. Hearing footsteps, she looked up.
A warm smile bloomed on her gentle face.
"Kiyohara-kun."
She inclined herself slightly.
"Congratulations on becoming Hokage."
"You're too kind, Lady Mikoto."
Kiyohara sat down across from her.
Mikoto poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him with both hands.
"Where's Itachi?"
Kiyohara asked.
"In the inner room."
Mikoto stood up.
"I'll call him."
She turned and walked inside.
A moment later, footsteps sounded from the hallway.
Uchiha Itachi entered the living room.
He was wearing a dark-blue kimono. His hair had grown a little longer since the last time they met, and he was already more than half a head taller than other children his age.
Kiyohara could tell that this was the effect of physical training.
At least for now, Kiyohara hadn't seen any signs that Itachi was developing a bloodline disease.
'Maybe I'll only know whether he'll fall ill after his Sharingan reaches three tomoe or after he awakens the Mangekyō?'
Kiyohara thought.
He was somewhat interested in how bloodline diseases formed.
"Teacher."
Itachi stopped in front of Kiyohara and bowed slightly.
"You've gotten taller."
Kiyohara said.
"Yes."
Itachi nodded.
"You haven't fallen behind in training, have you?"
"No."
Kiyohara nodded, then took out a scroll from inside his clothes and handed it to him.
"This is for you."
Itachi accepted the scroll and opened it for a look.
Written on it was an A-rank Fire Release ninjutsu.
And yet all the Fire Release techniques in the clan were only B-rank at most.
His eyes widened slightly, then he closed the scroll and carefully tucked it away.
Itachi was very curious how this A-rank Fire Release technique worked.
"Thank you, Teacher."
Kiyohara looked at him.
"It's nothing."
Kiyohara shook his head.
What he had given Itachi was a technique he had recently developed: Fire Release: Wind-Fire Convergence Technique.
By using Wind Release chakra, it allowed the range and temperature of Fire Release to break past normal limits.
In terms of sheer area, it was even larger than Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation.
For the current Kiyohara, developing an A-rank ninjutsu like this was extremely easy.
After all, his own microwave-based Fire Release series had all reached the S-rank level.
His Fire Release talent had improved day by day, long since undergoing a qualitative transformation.
"Fugaku, I'd like to see Sasuke."
Kiyohara said.
"It just so happens I have a gift for him."
Kiyohara took out a small box from inside his clothes.
Inside was a small gold bracelet, forged by Kiyohara from gold dust.
"You're very thoughtful, Hokage-sama."
Fugaku accepted the little box and led the way for Kiyohara.
Before long, they arrived at a room.
There was a crib inside.
Mikoto was standing beside it, bent over slightly as she gently rocked the crib rail.
Hearing footsteps, she straightened and turned her head.
"Sasuke just fell asleep."
Her voice was very soft.
Kiyohara walked to the crib and lowered his head to look.
A tiny infant was curled up inside the bedding, his fists clenched and raised near his ears.
His hair was black, lying softly against his scalp.
His little face was wrinkled and still carried the reddish tint unique to newborns.
Kiyohara looked at that tiny face.
He sensed a trace of chakra.
That chakra was completely different from ordinary chakra.
Kiyohara vaguely felt that the Yang Release chakra in his own body seemed to yearn for the Indra chakra inside Sasuke.
Was it instinctively trying to draw out Six Paths chakra?
Kiyohara stroked his chin.
Perhaps Uchiha Madara had started from this vague premonition, then combined it with the contents of the Uchiha Stone Tablet, ultimately deciding to transplant Senju Hashirama's flesh into his own body.
Kiyohara had also visited Naka Shrine before, so he had seen the Uchiha clan's stone tablet.
And because his eye power was abnormally vast, he had been able to observe a great deal of its contents.
'A god, in order to bring stability, divided the world into the two poles of Yin and Yang. When two opposing elements interact, they create all things.'
This was also something mentioned in the original story.
Uchiha Madara had even discussed it with Senju Hashirama. However, Hashirama believed it meant the two clans should cooperate, while Madara interpreted it as combining the powers of the Senju and Uchiha.
"Is something wrong, Kiyohara-kun?"
Mikoto noticed that Kiyohara had been staring at Sasuke for a long time.
"Nothing. I just feel this child will accomplish great things in the future."
Kiyohara shook his head.
The current Indra chakra felt very faint to Kiyohara, like a newly lit flame.
But as Sasuke grew, that chakra would gradually merge more deeply with him.
At the same time, Indra's chakra would keep growing stronger, recovering its original form.
It was precisely because of this cycle that Indra's chakra had endured for a thousand years without being exhausted.
'And Naruto? He should be soon too.'
Kiyohara thought.
For a thousand years, these two streams of chakra had continued circulating among the descendants of Indra and Asura. With every reincarnation, they would choose the most compatible vessel.
Mikoto smiled when she heard his words.
"I hope Sasuke can become like his older brother."
She bent down, tucked in the corner of the blanket, and gently brushed her fingers across the baby's cheek.
Sasuke frowned, moved his little mouth, then fell deeply asleep again.
Kiyohara withdrew his gaze.
"When Itachi was this age, he slept like this too."
Mikoto straightened, her voice filled with nostalgia.
"He was always clenching his fists and holding them near his ears, as if he were guarding against something."
Kiyohara looked at her.
"It must have been hard on you," Kiyohara said.
Mikoto shook her head.
"Not at all."
She paused, then raised her eyes to look at Kiyohara.
"Kiyohara-kun, you'll have children of your own someday too, won't you?"
Kiyohara didn't answer.
The question of children still felt a little too early for him.
At present, Kiyohara had no intention of having descendants so soon.
Mikoto seemed to realize something and lowered her head slightly.
"Sorry, I spoke out of turn."
"It's fine."
Kiyohara withdrew his gaze and gave Sasuke one last look in the crib.
"If you ever need help in the future, just say so."
"You're too kind, Kiyohara-kun."
Fugaku looked at Sasuke in the crib as well, clearly placing great hopes on him.
Just from the name Sasuke, one could tell that in Fugaku's heart, both of his sons were very important.
Afterward, Kiyohara followed Fugaku back to the banquet.
By the time the banquet was halfway through, many people were already drunk.
Kiyohara and Fugaku sat beside the paper sliding doors along the corridor, with the courtyard outside.
"Fugaku."
Fugaku looked up.
"Mm?"
"Has Danzō contacted anyone from the Uchiha recently?"
Fugaku set down his wine cup, his brows knitting slightly.
"Did you hear something?"
Kiyohara didn't answer directly. Instead, he said:
"Danzō has been secretly collecting Sharingan. You should know that."
Fugaku fell silent.
He had guessed as much, but he had no proof.
When a clan member died, recovering their Sharingan was extremely important.
But many bodies of dead Uchiha were either never found or had been too badly damaged. Their Sharingan disappeared without a trace as well.
Fugaku had been suspicious and had sent his subordinates to investigate, but too many things were involved, and he had not been able to continue looking into it.
"I don't know how many he has collected, but I can say for certain that he has quite a few Uchiha Sharingan in his possession."
Kiyohara said to Fugaku.
"I need a list. Every Uchiha clan member over the past few decades who went missing or died in battle during missions, whose body was never recovered."
Fugaku's frown deepened.
"What are you planning to do?"
"Verify."
Kiyohara picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"I want to see exactly whose Sharingan Danzō has."
The living room fell silent for a moment.
Fugaku slowly set down his wine cup.
"If this matter is investigated, it will implicate many people."
"I know. But I am the Hokage."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Power was what mattered most.
In Kiyohara's eyes, all checks and balances of authority were meaningless.
Why had so many people been wary of Uchiha Madara becoming Hokage, overwhelmingly supporting Senju Hashirama instead?
The reason was simple. Senju Hashirama had a gentle temperament—gentle enough to bow his head to the Five Kage, who were weaker than him.
Uchiha Madara could never have done that.
Of course, Kiyohara couldn't either.
It was only because Kiyohara's strength was not yet enough to crush everything that he was still acting within the rules for now.
"But some debts will have to be settled sooner or later."
Kiyohara said.
This was a very good reason. As the saying went, one needed a righteous cause to send out troops. He could simply find a grand justification and then eliminate Shimura Danzō.
Fugaku remained silent for a long time.
Then he slowly nodded.
"Give me three days."
Kiyohara nodded and stood up.
"Then it's settled."
He walked toward the door.
Fugaku got up to see him off.
"Kiyohara-kun, if you ever want to visit again, you're welcome anytime."
Kiyohara nodded slightly and pushed the door open to leave.
As he passed an alleyway, a voice came from behind him.
"Kiyohara."
Kiyohara stopped and looked back.
Uchiha Shisui walked over.
"Congratulations on becoming Hokage."
Kiyohara looked at him.
"Thank you."
Shisui walked up to him and raised his head.
More than a year had passed, and Kiyohara was now nearly a head taller than him. Shisui had to look up to meet his eyes.
"I heard what you said just now."
Shisui said.
Kiyohara's brow moved slightly.
"Which part?"
"The part about Danzō."
Shisui was silent for a moment.
"Actually… he approached me."
Kiyohara looked at him.
"When?"
"About three months ago."
Shisui said.
"He said… he hoped I would submit information about the clan to the village."
"And then?"
Kiyohara asked.
"I refused."
Shisui paused.
"But I don't think he'll just let it go."
Kiyohara reached out and patted his shoulder.
"I'll handle this."
Shisui raised his head and looked at him.
"Okay."
Shisui nodded.